LICENSED Post Offices (LPO) have received a significant ally, with Maranoa MP Bruce Scott throwing his support behind the bush “lifelines”.
The LNP member said LPOs played a vital role in regional and remote communities.
“LPOs are more than just letters; they are the heart of small communities,” he said.
In September this year, the Senate released an inquiry which shone a light on the many difficulties faced by LPOs outside cities, including the performance, importance and community role of Australian Post.
Mr Scott said he had spoken to many LPO franchisees and believed the LPO agreement, which has not been revised since 1993, required review.
“Distance also means a lack of traditional shopping outlets, so online purchasing has resulted in more packages flowing through LPOs,” he said.
“However the remuneration paid to LPOs has not increased to reflect the significant cost involved to manage and deliver packages.
The Senate inquiry made several recommendations including commissioning an independent audit of the activities undertaken by the LPO network to determine whether payments made under the LPO Agreement were fair and reasonable.
